East Coast County Down 19-23 April 2022

[tortillasunrise]

Location Ardglass, weather blowy but very sunny. Tide 4-5 Meters at high tide not much of a swell on the pier front but off the back a bit rough maybe 3 foot high swells. Everywhere I hit before the 21st was dead, nothing taking anything or my luck wasn't in. Tried the rocks at Ardglass and couldn't make it with the full kit. I don't know if they've changed the golf couse lay out making it more difficult for anglers but I struggled finding a safe route to the rocks from the course. Turned back called it a day and decided to just bait scrounge from the rocks instead and came a cropper trying to get back onto the pier from the defenses.

Yesterday maybe a good 7 hours fishing from the pier nothing but a few nibbles but boys out on the walk way were getting some coal fish aiming for the channel where the currents probably faster. Same Channel I aimed for the day previous on a 14 footer with a large gold Toby plus a perch type lure and a flat blue and silver spinner. The silver spinner bagged me a coal fish, about half a pound in weight. I didn't weigh or measure it. After that bottom fishing they started hitting. All coal fish, largest which I did measure was 13 inches out of eight catches.

I can't caim expert fishermanship but a trawler from Kerry came in to get fueled up and load a tanker up with sardines, thats when the fish started hitting probably came in for the spillage. The pier was turned into one giant puddle of fishy water but it is a working harbour and it's understandable the boats can't work around anglers. Ardglass some say it's dead now as pointed out to me by a local, the fish are there they're coming in but when or why I can't say also the seals are getting pretty gregarious. Heard others say they've beached themselves trying to take a fish of a line, as for myself I just managed to get my spinner gold Toby in the when a seal was chasing after it. Had it taken it I'd have had to call the USPCA or sea life rescue

 

[tortillasunrise]

PS: the second pic thats where I went pretty hard on my arse, doesn't look too challenging but it's a 45 degree slope. The wall running vertically towards the viewer is the boundry of the golf course and I can't see any safe way onto the rocks without pissing off golfers or mangling myself. Next time I'll have to do a full recce unladen.

 

[Wolf]

Nice catch mate, considering the work you put in your deserved better,great piccys and write up, tight lines for next time ,??????

 

[tdxs133pm]

That's a nice report,makes good reading.Fished Cork,Kerry,Wexford and Wicklow but never tried the North.Could be on the cards.